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Wings Over Scotland


The Taffy Tories

Posted on February 20, 2016 by

Alert readers can’t have failed to notice a desperate Scottish Labour dusting off the old “Tartan Tories” attack on the SNP recently, over the Nats’ unwillingness to join in with Kezia Dugdale’s kerrazy kaper of hiking up income tax.

welshlabourtax

So after today we can only assume they’ll be looking for some similarly pithy zingers for their colleagues in Wales. They can have this one for free.

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Croompenstein

The Labour Party in Wales you’ve got to love them…

Bread of heaven, bread of heaven
Feed me till I want no more.
Feed me till I want no more

Brian McHugh

Has anyone asked what Jeremy Corbyn’s position is on this?

What exactly are Labour for…or against or…whatever? LOL

Bob Mack

Labour——-like an ooctopus who cannot Co – ordinate it’s tentacles to work at the same time.

I expect SLAB condemnation of their Welsh branch at any moment. No?

Thepnr

Labour in Wales are not singing from the same hymnsheet as labour in Scotland? What possible explanation could there be?

Ah, in Wales Labour are likely to be in power in their devolved government and would actually have to implement tax rises if in their manifesto. In Scotland, labour are about as far away from power as it is possible to be.

I’m just curious as to what the next debacle will be. Probably won’t have to wait too long before finding out.

Aloonsloon

I was subject to a survation survey this week where all the questions related to voting preferences, past and present, except one. I was asked whether I supported the Labour idea of raising income tax in Scotland (yes/no).

No doubt you’ll see something soon from Labour or Westminster stating that x% of SNP voters agree with Kezia on the matter of a tax rise.

The Knome

Another load of labour shite.
Local council’s labour was A: attacking the scottish budget (set by westminster), and B: trying to pin blame on the SNP for the actions taken in the council.

Problem with B? Its a Labour-Tory Coalition.
SNP has no power in this council, the few councilers there are not Tory or Labour are frequently outnumbered and always outvoted.

So the only people who could fuck up in my council, is fucking Labour!

Of course, some illiterate person will jump on what these Red Tories say as fact and pass it round lovingly.

Why am I talking about the council?
Same stupid party, same stupid lies, same stupid defamation, same people getting hurt for their tactics time and again. Who are also the people who vote for them.

velofello

Alex Gallagher frae Largs. Oh nostalgia of when I used to read the Herald, and penned a wee poem, way back:

There is a wee councillor frae the Tail O’ the Bank
Who I’d like to personally thank
Who through his Herald letters has made me resolve
Never ever to vote Labour again

Capella

The tax wheeze was just an excuse for a tartan tories insult. Some poor spad probably dreamed it up.

Now that the EU referendum has kicked off the rest of the UK will be bombarded with London and the South East baying for Brexit (the City) or pooling and sharing of broad shoulders (the business men). Scotland, Wales and NI will fall off the radar again.

thomaspotter2014

Now the pennys dropped that the unfetterred cooncils are next in line for wipeout it’s squeeky bum time and Slab are manning the barricades with diversions like the tax increase.

But it ain’t gonna save them.

Personally I’d pay another 10p in the pound tax if it was going to a Scottish Government for Scotland’s benefit.

Giesabrek

Presumably there will be an across-the-board tax rise in UK Labour’s manifesto for the next UK general election then?

Iain

Looks like Labour is fucked in Wales!

Iain

Looking like Labour is fucked on a UK basis, I am not shocked. They have just lost their appeal to real working people, we have moved on. Their time is past. Scotland deserves better. Independence awaits.

galamcennalath

Pathetic opportunists with absolutely no principles, nor coherent plan.

Yet one in five Scots is going to vote for them, mainly for reasons of nostalgia. Well, they just ain’t what the used to be!

Why would people choose to vote for their grandparents rather than their children and grandchildren? Beats me.

Brian McGrath

To be honest I haven’t hear anything from Corbyn since he took over the Labour party and I’m in Wales. Our local Labour Councillor is actually an ok lad who is genuinely working for his community but the rest of them seem clueless with no fight in them. The AMs, the MPs just seem toothless.

Chitterinlicht

Best thing SNP did was freeze council tax and force rubbish councils to start thinking about how they can deliver services differently without just annually bleeding ctax payers for few sheckles more to fill gap.

Increasing income tax by 1p was just a stinky finger in a bulging leaky dike. Same weak leadership as annually bumping up CTAX.

Next few months gonna be messy then it always was.

Thing about a mess is i always prefer to clean my own up.

yesindyref2

Ah well, Labour in Scotland have set their manifesto tax policy before the March budget, and before the end of Smith, for a temporary soundbite.

That’s just plain dumb.

Iain

Looks like Labour is still fucked. Still life goes on don’t forget to vote SNP,SNP in May.

yesindyref2

OT
So now “JK Rowling accepts Natalie McGarry apology over Twitter row”. How very very good of her.

Now the whole world waits expectantly for JK Rowling to apologise to Natalie McGarry over threatening her not with a continent of lawyers, just a small island.

I won’t hold my breath.

I had no opinion about JKR’s activity during the Ref, it’s her right to support who she likes, including with a big donation.

But she has shown herself to be a contemptible bully, a worm almost as big as Smaug in the Hobbit, but not as well written.

De Valera

Foulkes never gives up does he? He’s been spewing out the same garbage since 1979.

Clapper57

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha !!! Deep Breath… Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha !!!

Welsh Labour #DaffodilTories morphing into #LeekTories.

ffs is there feckin NOTHING the various Labour factions ( devolved or otherwise ) agree on.#FeckinPatheticItBe

#LabourYouLoseArgumentAgain

Personally I find it all very TAXING.

Dr Jim

It’s time we sent the troops in and sorted these southerners out……What?

They talk pish so can I… Jeez!

Iain

Scotland getting shafted by the UK.Time to call a halt! We have moved on. We do need to subsidise the bankrupt UK any more. England will vote for a Britexit we have a choice. Vote for that choice. Snp, Snp.

Croompenstein

Cllr McCabe the voice of reason.. what a fucknut, get a load of his pish tonight when Telegraph fucked up again…

link to twitter.com

McCabe and Gallagher the Mulligan and O’Hare of Slab..

link to youtube.com

Kirsty

I’m almost starting to feel sorry for Labour now. I’ve had bikini waxes that were less painful than having to watch the knots that Labour tie themselves in. Can any Labour member reading this site please tell your party that we get UK-wide news in Scotland too, as they don’t seem to have realised? So we know they abstained, backed and even promised more austerity in Westminster. We know they’re lying when they try to blame the Scottish Government for the cuts resulting from it. We also know when they’re saying one thing in one country and another thing in another country. Their pretend innocence, hypocrisy and incessant bleating of SNPBad is just insulting.

BinPin

Councils should now be run more like a business, get local business men/woman and turn things upside down, no more fat cats payrolls giving the best options for local people

Thepnr

Right on cue the Herald comes out with:

Scottish Labour say experts evidence backs 1p in pound income tax rates hike

Expert evidence shows that raising income tax rates by 1p in the pound is fair, according to Scottish Labour.

The party has proposed an immediate 1% rise in the Scottish rate of income tax to raise an extra £475 million for public funds.

link to archive.is

They can’t even get the story right, since when did a 1p rise mean 1% rise? Guess most all of the editors have had their jotters and it shows in the reporting.

carjamtic

Wales

Brilliant bands,brilliant music

The Manic Street Preachers

‘If you tolerate this,then your children will be next’

just sayin 😉

Macart

My popcorn bowl is empty.

Time for a refill. 🙂

Janet

Nobody cares what Corbyn thinks. There is no way that the Establishment will ever let him become Prime Minister.

Jimbo

Jeez, Scottish Labour’s puerile patter is just as tiresome and toxic as they are.

They really need to quickly grow out of their primary school playground mentally.

Donald Anderson

Labour Celtic fans unite with Ranger fans against Independence.Green Brits. Orange Brits. What’s the difference?

DerekM

Astonishing i cant remember any political party in history standing on a policy before an election of raising taxes,its political suicide.

I really am starting to think neither the blue or red tories want to sit in the hot seat that is the opposition benches in the Scottish parliament,they seem to be fighting against each other not to come second lol

And i never forgot about you Wullie just thought you were irrelevant as is your lib dum party.

Ian Brotherhood

Anyone who is interested in a Glasgow get-the-gither around the time of the May election, please come to O/T with thoughts/suggestions.

Cheers.

link to wingsoverscotland.com

Sinky

The SNP has a good record on education but it must get a punchy leaflet out to counter Labour propagandists such as Brian Wilson

link to archive.is

frogesque

@ Kirsty 9.14

Far too much information for this time of night!

heedtracker

Sinky says:
20 February, 2016 at 9:56 pm
The SNP has a good record on education but it must get a punchy leaflet out to counter Labour propagandists such as Brian Wilson

“All over Scotland, the impact of avoidable cuts is being felt and discussed. Anguished councillors who came into local government to make a difference for their communities are faced with invidious choices because of the strategic decision by the Scottish Government to cut council budgets by proportionately far more than its own.”

Says SLab but do voters really believe that and whats an avoidable cut anyway?

Aberdeen is owned by SLab and you’d think they’d be cutting back, what with the awful burden of Scots oil for decades doing so much damage to ACC massive debt culture. Yet same crew of yoons just blew £30 million on a upgrade for Aberdeen Art Gallery, that no one wanted, except Slab owned ACC and yoons like Wullie Young.

When will they just go.

Ken MacColl

Brian Wilson? There is a true blast from the past.
Did he not used to be a socialist?

Thepnr

@heedtracker

£30 million on an Art Gallery upgrade, hope they got a Picasso or two for that amount of money. For the plebs to admire like.

HandandShrimp

Sinky

Perhaps but I am not sure if Wilson is really a voice in Corbyn’s Labour. Kezia may have though that Corbyn would leave Labour carping from the sidelines but former ministers of Blair’s government are these days carping from the sidelines of the sidelines.

Of course Brian has his SNPbad agenda to keep him warm but then he will always have that. He isn’t saying anything he hasn’t said for the last 40 years.

Inverclyder

Croompenstein @ 9:13pm

McCabe?

All I can say is..

As seen in an image recently.

I’m glad I live in a country where being told you’re a cunt is less of an insult than being called a Tory.

Or in this case a Red Tory.

An irrelevant oxygen thief of a human being who will not be remembered for any accomplishments whether in life or political career.

Indigo

@DerekM
The SNP and Lib Dems have both run ‘penny for…’ Income tax increase campaigns, I think both in the 90s – didn’t work for either if I recall correctly

dakk

Ken MacColl says:
20 February, 2016 at 10:18 pm
‘Brian Wilson? There is a true blast from the past.
Did he not used to be a socialist?’

That’s nothin’.

Lord Johnny-bag Reid used to be a communist 🙂

Where is he now ?

Kirsty

@frogesque

🙂 I know, sorry! I maybe got carried away – but it does sting a bit watching Labour these days, let’s be honest!

shug

but you will not hear this strange contradiction on the

shug

But you will not hear about this strange contradiction on the BBC

chris kilby

“Tartan Tories”? Seriously? After that worked so well in the last election? Wow.

(They’ll be saying “Vote SNP get the Tories” next. Who says Labour’s run out of ideas…?)

heedtracker

Thepnr says:
20 February, 2016 at 10:20 pm
@heedtracker

£30 million on an Art Gallery upgrade, hope they got a Picasso or two for that amount of money. For the plebs to admire like.

If only. You have no idea how much money SLab ACC have wasted and how much damage yoon right to rein over us, has done to Aberdeen. And then we have to listen likes of Wullie Young monster Scottish democracy, without challenge. Banning the Saltire from Aberdeen and then Scotland’s First Minister Salmond, is just a glimpse of how unelected yoon power can go completely mad.

Iain

The pig botherer must be cramping himself tonight, how will it turn out, will he survive. Bottom line he will still be a millionaire and that won’t change.

Robert Peffers

Brian Wilson? Didn’t he used to be a politician or something?

Or was it a stand up comedian?

No! Wait!

Wasn’t it a cartoon character?

Nah! That was Angus Og.

I know he was smothing but I just cannot remember what it was.

Ach! Couldn’t have been important or I’d have remembered it.

Fred

“Kerrazy, kerrazy for bein so lonely! kerrazy, kerrazy for bein so blue!”

Ah’ll get ma coat!

Robert Peffers

Say what you like, the Labour Party’s implementation of PPI/PPP finance systems saw a massive boost it the provision of all sorts of Scottish infrastructure projects.

Joe & Josephine Public will most likely remember those scheme for a very, very, very long time.

Mainly because they, and their children’s children, will still be paying for them several decades from now.

It is the still paying for them that is one reason so many Labour, and former Labour, Councils now find themselves so short of funds.

I had a wee giggle at Moray Council’s breast beating after saying they were being forced to dip into their reserves because the SG wouldn’t let them hike up the council Tax upon their constituents.

You really couldn’t make it up. They were pleading poverty while sitting upon large reserves. One wonders what they were reserving the cash for.

Any of you Aberdonians got any ideas what the reserves were being squirrelled away for?

Ian Brotherhood

Radio North Britain News at midnight had Jacob Rees-Mogg on it! Seriously!

‘We’re in a country called Europe and we have the chance to take charge of our own affairs’ or words to that effect.

Yaaaay!

Gaun yersel Jacob!

David MacGille-Mhuire

Ah, Welsh Labour…Land of My Adopted Fathers for sticking the leek in to their JockBrit counterparts and their Tory shenanigans.

Paul

@Robert Peffers

Perhaps the Unionist councillors were saving up to service their own impending redundancy payments and massive final salary pensions???

Camz

Was going to make a witty comment about Daffy Tories, then got swept away in the duck jokes, so will settle for the ‘Donald Ducked’.

boris
dakk

‘http://caltonjock.com/2016/02/21/scottish-state-pensions-rip-off-scots-nearing-retirement-who-voted-to-stay-with-the-union-read-this-and-weep/’

I would cut the pet lambs a bit of slack and bring back back euthanasia.

Voluntary, of course 🙂

Proud Cybernat

O/T

SNPBAD – The Movie (aka ‘The Ecks Files’)

Watch it here: link to tinyurl.com

Spread it far, spread it wide.

SNP X 2

jdman

George Foulkes
“The are Labours opposition!”
That does not compute
link to youtube.com

Kinda like sayin the Tories are LABOURS opposition in London

this is really bilin your pish eh George?

jdman

Dammit, edit button FGS
the SNP are Labours opposition!

Robert Louis

O/T, but important.

Meanwhile as one of the ‘benefits’ of staying shackled into the one-sided undemocratic union with England, we have increased safety failures of England’s nuclear submarines a short drive from Glasgow, and secretive nuclear loads driven through Glasgow and large parts of central Scotland, with none of the emergency services or even the Scottish Government informed;

link to archive.is

link to archive.is

Just two of the apparently bountiful ‘benefits’ of voting NO last year. The next referendum cannot come soon enough.

De Valera

Does a get together of Labour Celtic Fans consist of an evening of Rebel Songs finished off with a rousing rendition of God Save the Queen?

findlay farquaharson

i think the next wings funded poll should ask the question to branch office voters. “who do u hate most, the snp or wings over scotland?” hope its wings, might encourage me to donate a little more than normal

Chic McGregor

Classic case of an electron running along the Slab Boy’s front bench looking for a neuron to fire on.

As a party, the phrase ‘dead man walking’ springs to mind.

Or perhaps El Cid imagery is more appropriate.

Where it’s lifeless body is propped up on a horse for one last gallop along the beach. The rather Rocinante-esque horse being the SMSM natch.

The knackers await.

Robert Louis

O/T

This recording, on the web site of indyposterboy, is so very, very prophetic. It was from 2013, and the writer and poet, Alan Bissett, accurately predicted EXACTLY how events would unfold, in the event of a NO vote.

Bissett was utterly correct. This week, we see EXACTLY how his predictions come into being. I do hope the SNP leadership take care over the laughingly titled ‘Scotland Bill’ AKA ‘vow’ ultra-lite.

link to indyposterboy.info

Orri

Labour seemed the most vocal in opposing legislation that would force councils to ensure that agency staff get the same minimum hourly rate as direct employees. If you were a council worker would that reassure you that your jobs would be safe if the council could replace you with someone cheaper.

Glesca Keelie

The Rev will have to update the SNP Baad files.

Sunday Express this morning. Tommy Sheppard has Questions to Answer. Comedy Club majority shareholder nudge, wink, wink. Is he attempted smear No. 27.

Did’nt pick the rag up to find out. Mair pish in the wind.

Another Union Dividend

It was very clear that Ian Murray backed George Osborne’s Fiscal Charter cuts when interviewed on TV by Gordon Brewer at Labour’s Annual Conference last autumn.

The last Labour MP from Scotland has no credibility on the subject as he abstained on 20th July rather than vote against the latest round of Tory welfare cuts which meant 67,000 disabled people in Scotland losing up to £1500 a year under the Tory benefit caps.

Daily Express smearing Tommy Sheppard this morning.

Good article by Iain Macwhirter on Scottish Broadcasting in Sunday Herald. Should be required reading for the dependency cringers who write to right wing press including The Hootsman.

Ken500

ACC refused a gift of £80Million to pedestrianise the City Centre.UTG Project. Paid off AECC debts £26Million. They intend spending £300Million on another Conference Centre that will not pay. They blocked a (funded) new community football Stadium on the South of the City which would have kept traffic out of the City centre. They are building a carbuncle which is costing £Millions in the City Centre which will add to the traffic chaos. To spite the SNP, that’s the mentality. Against the majority wishes and the public interest. They also have reserves.

ACC/shire was underfunded 30% for over 30 years of all local authorities by Labour dominated Cosla. The Don crossing is late and £2Million over budget. Labour dominated ACC sold off the minor road, which could have been maintained to housing developers. The road was shut causing traffic chaos.

galamcennalath

Watching Marr. Jeez. All the same languages arguments as IndyRef. Just substitute the alternative Union and UK for Scotland.

Why can’t they see the hypocrisy and irony.

However, all these same arguments being trotted out again won’t do Indy cause any harm.

Effijy

Back in the thick of the referendum campaign, Brian Wilson came out with the most ridiculous stats and statements regarding how expensive it would be to use the Postal Services in an Independent
Scotland. The impact would ruin businesses and lose jobs?

I worked in the mailing industry back then and was very familiar
with UK costs and with Family in Ireland, I often compared costs.

Wilson when into Scare Factor 10 trying to say how expensive it was to use Ireland’s postal services and gave his own comparisons

I say his comparisons as he didn’t use the actual costs applied in either state and the reality was that the Irish Postal services were actually provided at a lower cost.

The man is a blatant liar and after the mess he made of this story, he should have zero credibility when trying to step up on
to the hustings.

Because we voted No, present company excluded, we managed to
see the Westminster Old boys club sell off Royal Mail for £1 Billion less than what it was worth, to their friends in the
financial sector.

Thank you Mr Wilson, now go off and spend your 30 pieces of silver and don’t bother trying to keep a high profile to get a
seat in the Lords. Your own party has already filled the place to the gunnels with sycophants.

galamcennalath

Marr. Nicola Sturgeon was excellent. Farage is a fool. Time to stop watching!

louis.b.argyll

Re EU,
… THAT AMAZING COLLECTION OF SMALL AND LARGE NATIONS WHOSE CULTURAL AND SOCIAL COMMUNITIES HAVE SHAPED MUCH OF WHAT IS GREAT IN HUMANITY…

..BUT, SADLY, AN EU WHOSE POLITICAL LEADERS MERGE INTO A SINGLE WEAK WHIMPER, WHENEVER THREATENED WITH OR BY CORPORATE FINANCIAL ADJUSTMENTS.
.. YET EACH ‘LEADER’ RETURNED TO THEIR COUNTRIES SAYING EVERYTHING WAS GREAT SO LONG As YOU ALL KEEP VOTING FOR PEOPLE LIKE US.

Ffs.

The UK HAS BEEN ‘PERMITTED’ TO LEGALLY ABUSE E.U. CITIZENS, LET THEM EARN REAL SLAVE WAGES, KNOWING THEY CANNOT CLAIM BENEFITS, SO MUST KEEP QUIET FOR FEAR OF DEPORTION.

Sick.

No longer sure I want to be part of Corporate European Union..

Not anti-anything, but I think the previous, post WW2 generations’ version of political unity needs to be torn up and started all over again.

Now hear that half of national govts in Europe can Red Card any EU PARLIAMENT proposals.

So, in effect,the Nato bloc has a veto.
.. Whenever there is a perceived danger to any (nato) members interests the good old US will send it’s corporate lawyers to stitch it all up.

I fear for civilisation.

Ken500

Wales benefits from it’s proximity to London. People can live in Wales and work in London. People vote Labour in Wales because there is no alternative. Wales is subsidised but is still £1Billion underfunded. Wales would also benefit by cutting Trident, illegal wars etc. Wales was treated badly by Thatcher. closed the mines etc. Coal (CCS) is half the price of imported Gas. The Tories have stopped all coal/steel production and destroyed the Oil sector. Oil sector is taxed at 60%. The price has fallen 75%. Losing thousands of jobs. Google etc pays 3% tax.

NI is the most subsidised. Raises £28Billion in taxes and gets £14Billion (Another 50%) = £42Billion? (2Million pop?). Pro rata Scotland would be getting £80Billion. Ie £54Billion raised + £27Billion (50%) = £81Billion (5.2Billion pop). NI is paid for it’s Unionist votes and it’s continued bigotry. Masonic secrecy and lies. Discrimination.

Scotland pays £1Billion for EU and gets £1Billion back. EU has better social Laws, nearest biggest market etc. The Tories have taken Scottish EU CAP funding. EU renewable Grants have been blocked by Westminster. CCS funding has been stopped. The Tories have banned wind turbines.

Scotland needs migrant workers for Oil sector, food, and other export sectors, healthcare etc. Westminster policies have depopulated Scotland, until Devolution 2000. In 1707 Scotland has 1/4 of UK population. Pro rata today that is 15Million. Westminster has secretly and illegally taken Scotland resources.

The Tories will now tear themselves to bits with infighting over EU. What a shower. Elected to protect the NHS and cut the debt. They have done neither. Taxes could be raised to protect public services but not to pay for Trident (£170Billion), white elephant nuclear stations (£25Billion) and ineffective rail lines (£70Billion), illegal wars, tax evasion and banking fraud. The money could be better spent.

Scotland is out voted 10 to I in Westminster and get policies for which the majority in Scotland did
not vote. People in the North of England vote Tory. London S/E is 50/50. The English working class vote Tory. They voted for Thatcher. Not Better together. Better Independent in EU. Westminster policies cost Scotland £10Billion a year. Scotland has lost the equivalent of a £220Billiin Oil Fund because of Westminster secrecy and lies. 4 Helicopters falling from the skies with no Inquiries. UK safety Laws not being enforced. Westminster corruption.

Tam Jardine

Not sure if anyone else is listening to shortbread fm discussion on building a film studio in Scotland.

The BBC guy was making the counter argument that the film industry didn’t want to use Scotland as it was a bit of a ‘backwater’? Or words to that effect- the film industry guy Tommy Gormley was being interviewed and he was astonished at the BBC line.

Was zoned out so need to listen again.

Nana

O/T links

link to ponsonbypost.com

This article by caltonjock needs to be shared…

link to caltonjock.com

link to commonspace.scot

link to opendemocracy.net

Valerie

There is quite a lot of good reading on the EU and the law, given all this talk of sovereignty.

Here is a good link about working conditions.

link to personneltoday.com

Coming out will mean the Tories can rip right in to employment rights, as just one issue. This would be fantastic to enable slave wages, TTIP, higher profit margins.

mike cassidy

OT – or maybe not

link to youtube.com

woosie

O/T

Caught the RS headlines on the car radio at 9am. SNP MP in financial probe! Tommy Sheppard, bla bla! Stress BBC has no knowledge!

Why make it headline news then?

Why don’t we hear anything about Cokey Osborne’s family business not paying tax for 7 years? Or about Bojo taking an architect to visit a potential investor in his garden bridge, while other architects were still working on their bids?

Etc Etc

Wee bit angrier every day. SNP/SNP

ian

I would want Scotland to remain a part of the EU and if i had to pick the one main reason is that it has kept this region largely at piece since the end of the second world war.Europe up until that time had been continuely at war for many centuries so for this reason alone its worth it.

Ken500

Osbourne sold off Royal Mail section cheap and took the £30Million? pension fund, which then goes on the National debt for future pension pay outs. Alternative privatised sectors have gone bust. Royal Mail is still as cheap for parcels. Price of stamps have just gone up. Still worth the service. The Postal runs we’re increased although postal workers started later/finished later and were given a day off (5 day working instead of 6). The runs/walks were increased. Alex Salmond said the Scottish postal service would remain a public service.

Robert Peffers

@Paul says: 21 February, 2016 at 12:22 am:

“Perhaps the Unionist councillors were saving up to service their own impending redundancy payments and massive final salary pensions???”

You could very well be correct but there is no doubt that the general public most certainly are not aware these numpties, who have been running councils for decades, were building up large Council Reserves that never seem to be used for anything. The only function they seem to serve is to gain interest for building up the reserves.

That was John Swinney’s contention – they should use the reserves in the hard times of austerity and rebuild them in the good times before even dreaming of passing on the cost of council services to the Council Tax Payers in Council tax rises.

It takes a certain level of idiocy for these councillors to presume the parts of the SG grants specifically added to their funding to compensate for freezing the council tax while increasing the Council Tax the levy upon Joe Public while at the same time sitting on large Council reserves.

Bob Mack

My mother had 3 jobs,my father 2. I don’t care how many jobs, houses businesses ,property,or anything else our representatives have.It is utterly irrelevant.

I fully expect that a number of our chosen MP’S have been successful in business or profession,or in whatever they do. That is life. I do not grudge people who give substantial portions of their salary to charity,the opportunity of futhering their income by whatever legal means they can.

Can you imagine what Joanna Cherry was earning as Senior Counsel compared to what she earns today? For that matter.Philipa Whitford?

I am beyond caring about the papers,and I hope Tommy carries on with his involvement in the Comedy Club. We need to laugh in these desperate times.

John H.

According to reports the cabinet meeting on Saturday morning was very amicable, with no rancour on either side. Of course David Cameron’s job is safe no matter what the referendum outcome is. Aye right! We’ll see how they feel about each other after four months of back stabbing and lying.

Already relations between Cameron and Boris J. are under strain because Boris is being wooed by the Out side.

Ken500

Osbourne family went to the Superbowl courtesy of Google. Tax 3%.

Hunt is forcing contracts on Junior Doctors in England.

Hands can’t come to an agreement on the Scottish Bill funding.

Cameron’s EU deal is a joke. Laughable. Stopping some Polish children getting some money. It will cost more to administrate.

The only reason the Tories are in Gov is to line their own pockets. Keep London as a tax haven. The London Banks make their money on currency exchange. Changing pounds for euros. . The Banks/Hedge funds – fund the Tories. The UK can’t join the Eurozone. The UK has too much debt. The Eurozone countries have to keep a ratio of debt to expenditure and are more equal. More equal counties are more cohesive and happy. The wealthiest, more equal countries are Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany etc. The UK work the longest hours in Europe.

UK/US and France keep on blowing the Middle East to bit, supporting despot, absolute Monarchies, apartheid States and denying the people the vote. Trade and give aid do not invade. Poland was invade by Germany and then handed over to Russia dominance at Yalta after 11WW as a buffer state by the Allies UK/US. Now Cameron wants to rip off Polish children.

Legerwood

Someone above mentioned a Duration poll about voting preferences and the 1p income tax rise. There was an article in the Herald last week which headlined the fact that 40% of Scots backed Labour’s plan. Of course all the comments on the article pointed out that this actually meant the majority of Scots opposed it. But you know the Herald, it’s the way they tell them.

The ‘Tartan Tories’ jibe about the SNP is certainly getting a more frequent airing these days. Worth examining just who are the Tartan Tories:

Labour Gov introduced tuition fees and trebled them: Tories, and LibDem partners, continued with tuition fees and trebled them.

Labour Gov started closing sheltered workshops for disabled; Tories continued policy and closed all of them or as near as made no difference.

Labour Gov introduced bedroom tax for private rentals: Tories continued policy and extended it.

Labour Gov introduced testing for those in receipt of Disability Benefit (came into effect after they lost election): Tories continued and extended policy.

Labour Gov started to close Post Offices ready for privatisation: Tories privatised Royal Mail

Labour Gov started privatisation of NHS: Tories continued and extended it.

Tories brought in welfare cap: Labour supported it.
Tories brought in £30 billion of cuts including £12 billion of welfare cuts: Labour supported them.

No doubt there are more examples but you get the picture and useful to remember the next time the ‘Tartan Tories’ give is used against the SNP.

Ken500

The SNP members gave up better paid professional jobs to be MP’s. Imagine having to spend time in corrupt Westminster. That is sacrifice. Those who can do. Those who can’t join Unionist Parties.
Useless.

galamcennalath

Nana says:

“O/T links

link to ponsonbypost.com

An excellent overview of Spanner – the infamous Vile CyberYoon

I notice heated debate on the Rev’s Twitter on the matter. As in all aspects of Yoonery, hypocrisy at at the core of this miserable set of events and coverup.

JKR is a side show. The read story is to ask why so many prominent Unionists are so closely involved with the disgusting character in the first place, and then to consider the media coverup around this.

Ken500

Like to see Cameron, Hunt, Hands yupping round doing a postal round. Instead of seating on their hands at the Hunt. Pig faced suckers.

Legerwood

Farage, Galloway and (possibly) Boris – who will be the fourth horseman in that apocalypse?

Jack Murphy

OT. Nicola Sturgeon,First Minister of Scotland on the BBC Andrew Marr Show this morning speaking about the EU Referendum.

7 minutes.

YouTube:-http://tinyurl.com/j9n4q5v

Jack Murphy

OT. Nicola Sturgeon,First Minister fo Scotland on the BBC Andrew Marr Programme this morning speaking about the EU Referendum.

7 minutes. YouTube:-

link to tinyurl.com

Dr Jim

If England votes Brexit the unfettered madness of the Tories will lead to ultimate rule by iron fist brooking no dissent or opposition by any party or indeed our own Scottish government of whatever hue that might be

The NO voters who are busy making up their excuses at this moment to give themselves another reason for disliking the SNP should pause for thought that at some future time a party of their choice might be in government in Scotland and that party will be crushed under heel by the jackbooted British Nationalist Tory party because there is no doubt no British Labour party will ever be in power again the Tories will make sure of that, so their hopes of somehow any kind of democracy breaking forth in the wake of Brexit will be over

The British Nationalist desire for total control Nirvana will lead to just that

Total Tory Tyranny (With a smile)

heedtracker

Anyone else watching BBC Sunday Politics with Andrew Neil side kick attacking Lab dude for Project Fearing it for IN?

What a giant pack of hypocrites, our imperial masters. Its in their DNA.

Grouse Beater

In general terms, I like the Welsh, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Richard Burton, Rorks Drift (actually an English regiment) Charlotte Church, Mary Hopkins, and the poetry of Dylan Thomas, but they all live too close to London to question too deeply whether or not they’re free men.

Sometimes the death of one man is a liberation for the rest of us:

link to wp.me

Daisy

Off topic but wrote a blog post on EU Referendum & Cameron’s lack of respect.
Please give it a read & feedback much appreciated:
link to daisycollinsblog.wordpress.com

Andrew Mclean

Rev.

O/T
Just read your tweets, for the record actually I am sensible.

heedtracker

BBC Sunday Politics bashes on and on EU, with not one SNP, Scotland voice on Brexit. Current LibDem leader given long BBC air time to bleh bleh blah with his major Libdem party status of half a dozen MP’s.

Its lovely to hear all of England discuss what’s going to happen to Scotland, with no mention whatsoever of their Scotland region. Proud Scot buts must be so proud to let another country decide their future for them.

Roughian

ian @ 10.03.
I couldn’t agree more. My Dad was in the navy during WW2 and when asked in 1975 how he would vote in the referendum said “in”.

When he was asked why he said “30 years of peace”.

You can already hear the outers saying pull up the drawbridge, fortress Britain etc.

By the way what’s with all these armed forces programmes popping up on the telly these days?

Almannysbunnet

We have just entered the twilight zone where everything we were derided for saying and believing in 2014 is now being used by those same naysayers to justify coming out of Europe.

I just sit in front of the TV spluttering “but but you said”. I think they are trying to make my head explode. Luckily I can relieve the pressure but just laughing and laughing. Yer politics are busted Westminster!
SNP x 2

Legerwood

In response to my own question in my post @11.03 about who would be the 4th horseman of the Brexit apocalypse Ian Duncan Smith just rode into view.

Evenv Earlier post: should have been Survation not Duration – damned predictive text.

Lollysmum

@ Nana
Some great links this morning, thank you. All now wending their way around the twittersphere.

Nana

@Lollysmum

I’m annoyed with commonspace as Peter Bell has rightly pointed out that the article is misleading.

I don’t know why the writer would want to mislead as after all that is why we are all so thoroughly disgusted with mainstream media.

Sinky

Wait till you see the wall to wall UKIP unbalanced BBC coverage during Scottish election campaign.

Sunday Times reporting that Scottish Widows (now under Lloyds Bank control) transferring billions of insurance business from Edinburgh to London.

So much for voting NO to protect Edinburgh’s financial sector.

Grouse Beater

From a car chat site that must have a policy of allowing unfettered hate speech – then again, it’s owned by the Heseltine family.

“They’re thick as pigshit. My mum’s golden retriever could outsmart a Yesser. And he’s an idiot even for a dog.”

This is a UK/EU issue. She [Sturgeon] has literally no dog in the fight so should really piss off and concentrate on the diddy wee powers she’s actually got.

Some sites are fit only for the grabage bin, worse than an abuse of free expression. That guy – ‘Technodup” – there’s a fine, memorable literary reference for you – is almost certainly BNP, or Loyalist.

link to pistonheads.com

Valerie

C’mon BoJo, be a BoNo!

With all his drama, he must be for leaving.

To say he is conflicted, is utter bollox, he is studying the polls, to be on the winning side.

Nana

@Valerie

He’s fence sitting

link to twitter.com

Weechid

Maybe, one day, Labour will learn to do joiney-up writing.

Orri

There’s one essential difference between the EU vote and dependence one. Cameron has secured a promise of concession that there’s going to be the best part of four months to pick over. The nearest to that we got from him was a decide to stay then we’ll talk. Followed by a later last minute panic when it seemed that the polls in Scotland, rather than all eligible voters, was heading to a victory for the yes side.

Now that’s kind of an important distinction as the UK as a whole is being afforded a fully informed choice wheras we were not. It’s also important as in essence either Cameron was asking that we let him decide our future which is bullshit or was leaving open the possibility of a future referendum. The way the unionists are going overboard on pretending that what’s on over comes close to achieving the outcome of the Smith Commision is close to farcical given that it’s not just Scotland that they’re fucking when they do so. The basis of the SC was to get the best deal for both Scotland and the UK as whole. For one thing if Scotland attracted inward investment from without the UK there might be a far greater rise in the income tax kept by Westminster than Hollyrood got.

Ian

Roughian sorry about the spelling of “peace”it did’nt help the impact of my comment when i mispelled it “piece”.Having lived in France for nearly seven years my spelling has become progressively worse in English.It will also be interesting where i stand should the UK exit the EU as i am an imigrant in France.

Valerie

It’s started!

IDS says staying in EU makes UK more vulnerable to terrorist attack.

Who’s running the book for first mention of Putin marching on London?

gerry parker

@Valerie.

Or maybe the Germans will have to bomb our airports if the North Koreans invade once they have nuclear weapons!!

thomaspotter2014

Valerie@2.04

Cameron’s already mentioned Russia and Putin in a spiel about national security.

Petra

@ Daisy says at 11:51 am … ”Off topic but wrote a blog post on EU Referendum & Cameron’s lack of respect. Please give it a read & feedback much appreciated:

link to daisycollinsblog.wordpress.com

Daisy I see that we’ve moved onto another article already! I also see that a number of people praised you and your site previously. Maybe you missed their posts? If so I’ve brought mine forward to repost:

”Dear Daisy welcome to the site. 17 years of age and truly engaged politically. FANTASTIC! I reckon that you are one of hundreds of young politically motivated Scots that WILL make Scotland and the World, in fact, a better place to live in. Young people like you are our future and no doubt we’ll see you standing in Holyrood one day. Best wishes to you Daisy and please keep in touch …. keep on posting.”

I’ve also read your article ‘Cameron Disrespects Scotland’ and it’s excellent.
Just love ……. “The people of Scotland have spoken. Our voice will be heard. No longer will Scotland be sidelined or ignored.”

Daisy

@Petra
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, it means so much.
I would absolutely love to be an MSP one day, but life experience comes first.
I have had amazing feedback, more than I ever expected.

So thank you to everyone who has said words of encouragement.

yesindyref2

@Daisy
It’s a good article, it has one point to make, makes the point, and doesn’t go off at a tangent.

Simple and clear.

Gary45%

Labour Celic fans???
Reid the butcher, Kelly the Arsehole and Murphy the FUD,
kind of says it all really.
What is a Labour??? about as much use as a Wullie Rennie.

Peter McCulloch

I see there is still no explanation from Labour in Scotland as to how by increasing tax on the low paid and further impoverishing them that this can be considered to be opposing Tory austerity.

And as Labour in Wales saying that when tax powers are devolved to it, that there will be no tax rises under a Welsh Labour Government

Does that by Labour’s definition in Scotland mean that
Labour in Wales are the Tories allies as well?

gras

Problems with wales from a Cymro pur (pure Welshman);

– population of border with Eng
– amounts of people living within Wales from other UK countries is the highest of the 4. Huge % of English in that 540,000 people. Would they vote for Plaid Cymru?
– populous Valleys have been left to rot, but have voted labour all their lives. UKIP will probably do well there, as the valleys are mostly ex work horses who think that immigration is a problem in Wales (more people leave wales than move in).
– nobody understands the concept of civic nationalism
– no recognisable institutions – would love to see Air Cymru / Wales, Banc of Cymru, even just a new Welsh bank note!
– Pembrokeshire is actually called ‘little england beyond wales’! we have no hope… – Plaid Cymru are seen as exclusive to Welsh language speakers. They’re not in any sense, but it’s an easy go to for the unionists to attack and divide – research has shows that monoglot’s have a complex when it comes to language and the ‘establishment’ likes to marginalise welsh speakers as crazy welsh language folk, when in fact they end up in higher grade jobs with all kinds of benefits to bilingualism.
– we have no national newspapers that protects our interests – the western mail is just clickbait and is an embarrassment. Don’t even have our own edition of the sun mirror – which I’m glad about, but obviously readers will not realise they’re always reading from a London perspective. The only time average joe will complain is when wales’ grand slam achievements have a tiny piece, compared to England losing has a 10 page pull out. I ask – are you really that stupid?
– we have no great websites like this – there are some good bloggers, but the audience is not there, yet….
– It’s a funny old country, the rich history is not taught properly in schools, the incomers in general are anti welsh, the ‘welsh’ English speakers are generally anti- wales and well the minority of native people have been pushed far west (luckily the most beautiful spot) – but are ignored and marginalised.


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